Asia Pacific Group raps Pakistan on Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim

NEW DELHI: A multilateral group on money laundering has asked Pakistan to report to it on progress on enforcing UN sanctions against terror mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and mafia kingpin Dawood Ibrahim.

Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering has given Pakistan time till early next year for this. Both Pakistan and India are members of the 41-member grouping.

The group gave this direction to Pakistan at its annual meet held in Auckland between July 13 and 17 in what officials said could be viewed as a shot in the arm for India’s efforts to combat cross-border terrorism.

India had pressed the group to take up the matter of Pakistan’s non-compliance on freezing assets of LeT and its affiliates as well as Dawood Ibrahim after the inter-governmental policymaking body Financial Action Task Force (FATF) did not censure Pakistan, officials said.

The group will now monitor and ensure Pakistan’s compliance of UN sanctions against terrorists.

ET View: Dealing With Schizophrenia

Indian pressure on the Asia Pacific Group on money laundering to put the squeeze on Pakistan is a smart move. The reality of Pakistan is schizophrenic and India will need to develop a multi-layered response. Where talk is called for, India must talk too. A demand through the APG to freeze assets of terrorists is yet another targeted response. The BJP used to mock the UPA for talking to Pakistan even as its forces were indulging in violence. Now, BJP realises that Pakistan has to be dealt with at multiple levels, on multiple subjects.